Ice-velocipede



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1'.

w. L. WILLIAMS.

i ICE VELOCIPEDE.

No. 606,479. Vlawn-.ea June 28, 1898.

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To cir/ZZ whom, t may concern:

l/VILLIAM L. VILLIAMS, OF WINONA, MINNESOTA.

I cE-VELQCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming partlof Letters vPatent No. 606,479, dated J' une28, 1898. Application iiled July V23, 1897..' Serial No. 645,725. (Nomodel.)

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. WILLIAMs; a citizen of the United States,residing at lVi" nona, in the county of Winona and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and"` useful Improvements iu Velocipedes; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, andl exact descriptionof the invention, such'as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit ap` pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.'

This invention relates to veloci'pedes, and is directed moreparticularly toimprovements in machines of this character which areadapted for propulsion over ice and snow-covered ground, the object ofthe invention being to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensiveconstruction of machine capable of be-` ing foot-propelled with theexpenditure of ordinary labor and of being readily and reliablygoverned.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of thischaracter means for insuring,when desired, a constant contact betweenthe driving-wheel and the surface over which the machine is propelled,regardless of the inequalities of the ground, whereby the power exertedis `made available at all times;

also, means for bringing'at will the driving# wheel away from contactwith the 4ground for coasting purposes; also, means for lchecking orbreaking the momentum of the machine, and also means by which themachine may be readily transported over bare ground.

The nature of my invention will be clearly understood by reference tothe following detailed description, which is to be read in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure lis a side elevation ofmy improved machine, and Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Referring tothe said drawings by letter, A denotes the frame of themachine, which is constructed from tubing and comprises the lower membera, to which isA attached the steering-runner B, the seat-postct-,wli`ich `carries the seat or saddle c, the steering-post a2, thecrank-han ger a3, in which is j ournaled the crank-shaft carrying thepedal-cranks d and the sprocket-wheel ci', and the rear fork a4,

y V. i, f which extends from the crank-hanger to the l axle e of thedriving-wheel E. On said axle j isa second sprocket wheel e', which isconnectedby a chain e2 with the sprocket-wheel fl; At'the sides of theframe are runners f, which are curved 'at their forward ends and securedto the steering-post a2 by a direct con- Qnection and by brace membersg. `rear ends of the runners connection is made 4with the frame by bracemembers g. The 4runners are preferably of wood, with the eX- ception ofthe tread portion,which is provided with a steel Vshoe f'. From each ofthe rear brace members g there extend rearwardly two arms g2 g2, theouter ends of'which are slotted for adjustable ,connection with aguide-bracket Il, which is vcurved in the arc of a circle, with the axleof kthe wheel CZ as the center. The rear fork is also adjustablyconnected with the guidelbrackets.` In the slots h of the brackets I-Iare movably arranged bearing-blocks t', in which is journaled the axleof the drivinglwheel.

t is a rod which is connected at one end to a block fi andis movable inthe slot 7i and through an opening in the bracket. A coiled spring jencircles this rod and is interposed `between the block i and a tensionscrew-rod 1j' in the upper end of the bracket, which rod hasagoverning-nut j2, confined in a housing h on the bracket. The functionof the springs j is to insure a constant contact of the drivingfwheelwith the ground or surface over which it is propelled, regardless ofinequalities of the latter, the springs tending to press the'wheeldownward against the ground and permit it to rise and fall with suchinequalities independent of the movements of the rest of the structure.The tension-rods j are V `employed for adjusting the strength of thesprings to suit the different weights of riders, asv will be understood.The adjustable connection between the arms g2, the rearfork, and theguide-brackets is lforthe purpose of tightening or loosening thesprocketLchain, the slots in said arms permitting the movement bodily ofthe brackets, drivingfwheel, and rear sprocket-wheel either forwardly toloosen the chain or rearwardly to tighten the same. Pivotally secured toone of the rear brace members is a bell-crank lever 7e, one

Near the- IOO arm of which carries a handle 7c', while the other arm hasrod connection with a block 7a2, movable in the slot h of the bracketI'I. The

handle is located conveniently near the seat or saddle in order thatthe'rider may readily manipulate the same to effect the elevation of thedriving-Wheel above the surface of the ground for coasting purposes.This is accomplished by a pull on the lever, which brings the block k2into contact with the bearin g-block, and thereby raises the latter andthe wheel to the desired height against the action of the springs j.Means are provided for locking the wheel in its raised position in theshape of a spring-catch 7c3, which is secured to the upper end of therear brace member and which engages the handle-arm of the lever 7a. Thedriving-wheel is provided on its periphery with a plurality of removableblades e2 and spikes e3, the former being employed for propulsion oversnowcovered ground and the latter for propulsion over ice. The bladesand spikes are made to be removable in order that the wheel may beprovided with spikes or with blades, dependent uponcircumstances, and insome instances, owing to the character of the ground, I may employ bothtogether, either equal or different in number.

The frame member a has at its forward end a head a5 for the stem b ofthe steering-runner B, which runneris secured in the bifurcated lowerend b' of said stem. Between the shoulder formed by the bifurcation andthe head a5 is a spring b2, coiled around the stem. This constructionallows of the movement of the runner B independent of the frame for thepurpose of insuring contact between the runner and ground at all times,regardless of surface inequalities. The runner B is employed to steerthe machines, and

means are employed for manipulating said runner through the movement ofthe handlebars Z, consisting of rods m m, which are connected at theirforward ends to yoke b3, fixed to the upper end of the stem Zi, and attheir rearward ends to a yoke Z,carried by the steering-stem Z2, whichstem is rotatably supported in the post a2 and is connected at itsl-lupper endwith the handle-bars. The rods fm are made to be adjustablein length by the employment of turnbuckles m' or similar devices.

n denotes the brake by which the momentum of the machine is controlled,said brake consisting of a bent lever pivoted at 'a' to the frame andprovided at the end of its lower arm with spurs n2, which when loweredinto contact with the ground effect the retarding and stoppage of themachine. The other arm n3 of the lever is connected to the lower end ofthe operating-rod n4, which is movable in a guide a5 on the frame andcarries at its upper end a handle a6, adjacent to the handlebars. Thebrake is operated by raising the handle a6, which depresses the lowerend of the lever and causes the spurs to contact with vparts of theframe.

the ground with sufficient pressure to ret-ard and stop the movement ofthe machine.

As a means for readily transporting the machine over bare ground Iprovide four Wheels o o, each of which is mounted to rotate on the lowerend of an arm o', movable in guides o2 02 on the brace members or on anyother suitable These wheels are adapted to be raised to be clear of theground or to be lowered to a point below the runners and driving-wheelto elevate the whole structure for ready transportation.

The machine is propelled in a manner similar to that employed inoperating an ordinary velocipede in that motion is imparted to thedriving-Wheel by the rotation of the forward sprocket and through thechain-and-sprocket connection with said driving wheel. The springconnection between the driving-wheel and the frame insures the propercontact of the wheel with the ground, and no loss of power ensues andthe machine is propelled evenly. The curved form of the bracket in whichthe wheel-axle is movable preserves the adjusted tension of thesprocket-chain, and the means employed for regulating the tension of thespring enables the adjustment of the parts to suit different weights ofriders. The means employed to effect the tightening or loosening of thesprocket-chain are simple and easily manipulated, and all of the otheradjustments may be made in a comparatively short time and without theexercise of skill. Moreover, the means for raising the drivingwheel forcoasting purposes and for steering and operating the brake are withineasyreach of the rider and may be operated with the eX- penditure of butlittle power.

I claim as my inventionl. In a machine of the class described, thecombination with a frame carrying runners, of a driving-wheel, sprocketwheel and chain mechanism for operating said driving-wheel, brackets adjustably connected with the frame, blocks movable in said brackets andaording bearings for the driving-wheel axle', springs for controllingsaid blocks, and means for adjusting the tension of the springs,substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a framecarrying runners, of a driving-wheel journaled in spring-controlledmovable bearings, means adjustably connecting the bearings with theframe, and means for elevating said wheel above the runners, consistingof a hand-operated lever having rod connection with said bearings, and alock for said means, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described the combination with a framecarrying runners,

.of a driving-wheel provided on its periphery brackets carryingspring-controlled movablev bearings for the axle of the driving-wheel,

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arms adj ustably connecting the brackets with the frame, and means forelevating said Wheel journaled, and arms secured to the frame and havingadjustable connection with said brackets, substantial-ly as described.

5. In a machine of the class described the combination With a framecarrying runners,

of Wheels mounted on arms slidably connected 15 With the frame andadapted to be moved to a position belowT the runners, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM L. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

WARREN MILLER, EUGENE A. VAUGHAN.

